Mechanical toy.



B. F. BAIN.

MECHANiCAL TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1916.

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B. F. BAlN.

MECHANICAL TOY.

APPLICATION man MAR. 24, 1916.

Patented July 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- a 2 m4 N 5 wo N MZL R N WM QM? #11 \N w\ Q Q Qwi w w s w w mum BENJAMIN F. BAIN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANICAL TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed March 24, 1916. Serial No. 86,413.

To all w ham it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BAIN, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanical Toys, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to mechanical toys, and particularly automatic toys of the gravity operated type.

The invention is an improvement upon the toy shown, described and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,151,919, dated August 31, 1915.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction and operation of said toy and provide a toy of simpler form which produces the same movement of the sand bucket and simulates the operation of a crane, and which can be constructed at a lower cost, with a fewer number of parts, which is more rigid and less delicate, and which is less liable to get out of order in service.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a rigid connection between the supports for the supply reservoir and swinging bucket-carrying arm, which connection is capable of adjustment for varying the amount of operating material in each bucket load, and to also improve and simplify the mechanism for controlling or effecting the movement of the bucket carrying arm.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention comprises the mechanical toy hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing thebucket in loading position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bucket in dumping position; Fig. 3 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1, the hopper or reservoir and manikin being omitted to simplify the illustration; Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 44, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an elevation, on a larger scale, showing the mechanism for controlling or effecting the movement of the bucket-carrying arm, the parts being shown in the bucket loading position; and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7, Fig. 6.

The toy shown in the drawings, 1 as to many of its features, is of the same form and construction illustrated in my prior patent above referred to. It comprises a suitable base, shown as a shallow tray 1 provided with upstanding ears 2 to receive the lower ends of supports 3 and l, the first of which carries a hopper or supply reservoir 5, and the second of which carries a swinging bucket carrying arm 6. I

The hopper support 3 consists of two vertical legs and a cross bar carrying a bent metal stop 7 for holding the bucket in loading position until it receives a full load from the delivery gate 8 pendant on the hopper 5. These parts are constructed and operate in the same manner as in my prior patent and therefore require no further description. The support 3 is braced by a diagonal strut 9 extending from the cross bar of said support to the rim of the tray 1, said strut being formed of a flat metal strip twisted between its edges so that its central portion lies in a plane inclined to the vertical and extending longitudinally of the tray 1.

The bucket arm support 1 is a bent metal strip with two parallel vertical legs 10 connected by a rigid cross brace 11. The upper end of said support 4 is provided with an upstanding spindle or shaft 12, forming a vertical aXis about which the bucket car-.

rying arm swings, as hereinafter more fully described. Said spindle is riveted to the support 4 and at its lower end passes through a sheet metal horizontal gear member 13, lying flat against the upper end of the support and having one edge bent around an edge thereof, as at 14:, to prevent said gear from turning on the support. Said gear is provided with a series of vertically extending teeth 15, arranged in an arc of a circle around the axis of the spindle l2.

Thebucket carrying arm 6 comprises two metal strips 16 riveted together at their opposite ends and spread apart at their central portions. At one end the metal strips of said arms are bent to form a yoke 17 between the arms of which the bucket or car 18 is pivoted, as in my prior patent. A counter-weight 19, of any suitable form, is rigidly attached to the other end of said arm, thereb dispensing with the separate counterweig t arm of my priorpatent. The spread-apart central portions of the strips of said arm are provided with trunnions 20 entering openings in a small metal frame spindle 12, the opposite ends of said frame being bent to form parallel horizontal ears 22 having openings to receive the spindle 12. The arm and frame are detachable from said spindle and may be applied thereto by merely slipping the ears over the spindle 12 to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the frame 21, and the arm 6 carried thereby are capable of turning in a horizontal plane around spindle 12 as an axis, while arm 6 is capable'of turning in a vertical plane'around its horizontal trunnions 20 as an axis.

As in my prior patent before referred to the bucket has substantially a helical move ment, to wit, movement around a vertical axis, as indicated by the arrows A, Fig. 3, and also a rising and falling movement, as it travels from loading to dumping position and vice versa. This movement, in a definite path, is produced in the present toy by the direct cooperation of suitable operating mechanism, for example, any form of gear ing, connecting the swinging arm 6 and the fixed support for said arm. Said mechanism, as shown, comprises the stationary gear 13 before referred to, whose vertical teeth intermesh and cooperate with horizontally extending teeth 23 on the lower arcuate edge of a gear member 24, shown as a sheet metal plate rigidly attached to one of the strips 16 of the arm 6. The relation of the gear members 13 and 24 is such that when the arm 6 is tilted about its trunnions 20 by either the load in bucket 18 or by counterweight 9, the gear 24 is caused to roll around the stationary gear 13 and thus turn the frame 21 and arm 6 carried thereby around the vertical spindle 12 as an axis. This is a simple and compact mechanism which is not liable to get out of order and which does away entirely with cords or flexible operat ing members.

To prevent injury to the gear member 24, which is a wide fiat metal sheet and might be bent out of its proper plane, said member is provided with an arcuate slot 25, struck around the trunnions 20 as a center to receive a pin 26 projecting outwardly from one side of the frame 21', said pin having a head 27 lying on the outside of the gear plate 24. This pin and slot connection is not essential for operativeness, but prevents the plate 24 from being bent or distorted.

As in my prior patent before referred to, the car or bucket, when it reaches dumping position, is dumped by the pull of a flexible member, such as a cord 28, attached at one end to said car and at its opposite end to a substantially fixed portion of the frame, for example, to the hands of a manikin 29. Said manikin is provided with a spindle 30 entering openings in two ears 31 of a rigid connection between the supports 3 and 4, so that said manikin swings about said spindle as an axis, said spindle being inwhen the toy is taken apart and will not be lost, and is detachably connected to the other support for convenience in assembling. As shown, said connection comprises a strut pivotally attached at 32 to one of said supports, say the support 4, and provided at its opposite end with a head 33 which can be sprung into position into slots 34 in the middle portion of the diagonal strut9 of the other support and a resilient leaf member 35 attached thereto. The strut preferably also comprises two members, marked 36 and 37, which are adjustable longitudinally relatively to each other, the adjustment serving to vary the distance between the supports 3 and 4 and consequently to vary the location of the bucket 18 relatively to the gate 8 in loading position of the car. By shortening the rigid connection the car is shifted to the left in Fig. 1 and the load is delivered to the bucket farther behind the pivotal support'therefor, so that theweight of the load is exerted through a longer lever arm and has a greater tendency to tilt the bucket about its pivots and release the bucket from thestop 7. By lengthening the rigid connection the load is delivered closer to the bucket pivots and is consequently increased in quantity. Proper adjustment of the length of the rigid connection enables the load to be adjusted to any quantity sufiicient to produce proper'release of the bucket from its stop and secure suflicient momentum tomove it to dumping position. In the specific form shown member 36 is formed of a metal strip, one end of which is bent'to form two parallel walls having openings to receive the other member 37, which is knurled and threaded into the opening in wall 38. This issubstantially a Said connection is preferably perturn buckle connection, as the rotation of member 37 in the threaded wall 38 shortens or lengthens the rigid connection. A look nut 39 serves to lock the two members in adjusted position. The ears 31 carrying the manikin 29 are preferably rigidly attached i affect the distance between the manikin and bucket in dumping position of the bucket, and therefore does not interfere with operation of the toy.

The toy operates as follows: Each time the bucket reaches loading position, as shown in Fig. 1, the swinging gate beneath the hopper is shifted to a position in which the operating material, such as sand, flows from the hopper into the bucket, as in my prior patent. The quantity of material for each load depends upon the adjustment of the rigid connection before referred to and the friction of the bucket against the stop 7. Vhen a sufficient load is delivered into the bucket it is released from said stop and moves to ward dumping position, the weight of the loaded bucket causing it to move downwardly, thus swinging the arm 6 on its hori zontal trunnions 20, and this movement, through the gear 2 f carried by the arm 6 intermeshing with the stationary gear 13, causes the arm and bucket carried thereby to be swung around the vertical axis 12. The bucket therefore describes a helical down ward path, and in doing so the counterweight 19 is moved upwardly in a similar path. This movement of the bucket tightens the cord 28, and causes the manikin 29 to swing around on the inclined spindle 30, and as the bucket reaches the dumping position the cord 28 has been tightened sufliciently to cause the bucket to be tilted to discharge its load, whereupon the counterweight returns the bucket to loading position by swinging the supporting arm around its two aXes of movement, in an upward spiral path. When the bucket begins its upward spiral movement the cord 28 again becomes slack, and the manikin, by reason of being mounted on the inclined spindle 30, automatically returns to its original position. This completes one cycle of operation, and similar cycles are repeated as long as operating material is contained within the hopper or reservoir 5.

The toy described is of simpler form than prior toys of the same type. It includes less parts and is consequently compact, and is rigid, or more permanent construction and less liable to get out of order.

W hat I claim is 1. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper, a support therefor, a swinging bucket carrying arm, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, and an adjustable connection between said supports.

2. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding and an adjustable connection between said supports.

3. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, a connection between said supports, and

means for adjusting the length of said con- Inection' to vary the position of said bucket relatively to the gate.

4. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, and a connection between said supports comprising two members nally relatively to each other.

5. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, and a connection between said supports comprising two members adjustable longiti'idinally relatively to each other, one of said members being detachably connected to one of said supports, and the other of said members being hinged to the other support.

(3. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, a connection between said supports comprising two members adjustable longitudinally relatively to each other, and means for locking said members in adjusted position.

7. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, a connection between said supports comprising two members adjustable longitudinally relatively to each other, and a swing ing bucket dumping member carried by one of the members of said connection.

8. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper provided with a delivery gate, a support therefor, a swinging arm carrying a bucket cooperating with said gate, a support therefor, one of said supports being yielding, a connection between said supports comprising two members adjustable longitudinally relatively to each other, and a swinging bucket dumping member carried by the one of said members which is attached to the bucket carrying support.

9. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper, a support therefor, a swinging bucket carrying arm, a support therefor, and gear connections between said arm and its support for causing the arm to turn about a vertical axis when gravity causes it to swing on a horizontal axis.

10. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper, a support therefor, a swinging bucket carrying arm, a support therefor, a horizontal gear rigidly attached to said bucket arm support, and a cooperating gear member rigidly connected to said arm.

adjustable longitudiconnections between said arm and second support for causing the arm to turn about a verticalaxis' when gravity causes it to swing on a horizontal axis.

'13. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper, a support therefor, a second support, an arm pivoted to turn on vertical and horizontal axes thereon, a bucket on one end of said arm, and a counterweight on the opposite end of said arm.

14. A mechanical toy, comprising a sup- Gopis of this patent may be obtained for five cents ply hopper,

a support therefor, a second support, an arm pivoted to turn on Vertical and horizontal axes thereon, a bucket on one end of said arm, a counterweight on the opposite end of said arm, and, mechanism for causing said bucket to move in a helical path as the arm swings around its pivots.

15. A mechanical toy, comprising a supply hopper, a support therefor, a second support, an arm pivoted to turn on vertical and horizontal axes thereon, a bucket on one end of said arm, a counterweight on the opposite end of said arm, and gear connections between said arm and its support for causing the arm to turn about a vertical axis when gravity causes it to swing on a horizontal axis.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN F. BAIN.

lVitnesses GLENN H. Lnnnscnn, A. E. Jorrnson.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). C. 

